Six months ago today Lucas awoke at 3am to begin the day-long journey of leaving his birth country and flying to his new forever home in the US.
Every moment of that day is still very clear in my memory...from not sleeping at all the night before; the eerily quiet and traffic-free trip in the pre-dawn from our Moscow apartment to the airport; nearly passing out when the ticket agent said we did not have a correct passport for Lucas and waiting for the customs official to slowly review all the adoption paperwork and deem it allowable for us to go; being teary-eyed as the plane lifted off the ground (teary-eyed now too); eagerly awaiting any service on the plane, not because we were hungry but to provide new 'toys' to occupy a 15-mo old; holding Lucas close as the plane touched down in Boston and he officially became a US citizen; being wonderfully welcomed by friends and family; watching the sweet first meeting of Alexander and his new brother; and finally arriving HOME!
I really can't believe it's been 6 months. In some ways it feels so much longer...hasn't he always been here? And in others we are still doing the dance of becoming a family of 4. Although it seems Lucas has always had an easy-going, go-with-the-flow and calm personality, there is an amazing and definite difference from 6 months ago. Of course, he is older and bigger! 21 months now and has grown 2 1/2 inches and gained almost 6 lbs. But he is also much, much more expressive - both when happy and not! Before he wouldn't make a peep...rarely did he fuss (except for obvious ouchies and going to sleep). Now, he is quite insistent when he wants something and we are really working on losing the 3rd language he's picked up - whining. He laughs so much more easily and frequently now...sometimes I'll catch him sitting on the floor with a toy cracking himself up. His language has also exploded recently..he's using 2 words together now and picking up new words almost immediately. In the past week he has also started saying his name and really recognizing himself in pictures. He pulls on our legs and says 'come' when he wants to show us something...and he turns his head to make sure we're immediately following him! He's a cheeky one too...he has definitely learned to put on his charms and bat his eyes when he wants something and has mastered the fake cry and scrunched up face since he knows the real stuff usually has me hooked.
As far as attachment, he's exactly where he should be. He knows we're his parents, comes to us for comfort and loves, hesitant with strangers, etc. These have been there for a while but what has changed in the past month or so is that he has definitely relaxed into this...no longer does he struggle or cry at bedtime...he's content most of the time to snuggle and rock for a while...wants to be picked up more than let down and is always seeking us out to play and read whereas before he seemed to be a bit more comfortable to play on his own. Which has made dinner preparation in the past few weeks literally impossible unless he's in the ergo on my back! And speaking of reading, I am thrilled to say he is finally sitting through a short book now AND asking to have it read over and over again!! For the longest time he would just flip through the pages and look at pictures but not really interested in the words...but now I can't even count the number of times I've already read "Moo, Baa, Lalala". "Barnyard Dance" is a close second :).
Alexander is still adjusting...it's been a huge change for him...but now that Lucas is communicating more I am starting to see a difference in their relationship. Alexander can ask Lucas something and he'll do it (uh oh huh?) and they love running and chasing after each other.
I can't even begin to imagine what changes and growth the next 6 months will bring and I can only wish that the time passes slower than the last 6. We love you Lucas and so thrilled that you are part of our family!
On the plane leaving Moscow....
Landing in Boston...
And now...
